Law and Justice, MS

Option A includes a comprehensive examination as the culminating experience and option B includes a thesis or research project as the culminating experience. Both options are 60 credits to complete. Option A is primarily designed for those interested in research or pursuing further graduate level work.

Program Description
The MS degree in law and justice is designed to serve two distinct groups (1) those in law and justice field with professional experience and (2) those without professional experience who aspire to a law and justice career. The program offers two options, both of which are 60 credits. Of these 60 credits, 28 credits are in the core courses (7 mandatory courses) and another 28 are from seminar electives. Option A is geared towards the working professional; it entails taking 56 credits worth of courses plus a four credit capstone course where the final culminating experience is a written exam with an oral defense. This option is aimed at those who are looking for a career in criminal justice. Option B also includes 56 credits of courses but has a thesis or research project as the culminating experience. This option is primarily for those interested in continuing on and doing doctoral work.

Admission
Applicants for admission to the Master of Law and Justice Program must:

Apply to the School of Graduate Studies at CWU;

Have a bachelor’s degree in the social sciences from a recognized four-year college or university in the U.S. or the equivalent from an institution abroad, or a bachelor’s degree and professional experience;

At least a 3.0 GPA in all coursework attempted during the last 90-quarter (60 semesters) hours of study;

The College of the Sciences (COTS) is comprised of 13 departments and 12 interdisciplinary programs representing disciplines in the behavioral, natural, and social sciences, and mathematics. The departments and programs of the college offer undergraduate baccalaureate degrees, master’s degrees, minors that supplement other degree programs, and a comprehensive range of service coursework. As an essential part of its mission, the college offers an extensive general education curriculum. The departments play a major role in Central’s Teacher Certification Programs, offering bachelors and master’s degrees for students preparing to be secondary teachers and providing coursework in educational foundations and discipline-specific content and methods.

Departments within the college are committed to teaching excellence, active engagement by faculty in research, scholarship and professional service activities, student involvement in research, community service, and employing practical applications of academic specializations.

Departments
All departments offer baccalaureate degree programs and, in some cases, minors, educational specialist degrees and master’s degrees. In addition to consulting department/program headings in this catalog, students are encouraged to contact individual departments and program offices directly.